Discovering My Third God‑Given Gift
During my single years with Morrison Heights Baptist church in Clinton, MS, I got involved in several ministries there. The ministries I was part of were, Monthly Auto repair for Seniors, Moving crew for singles that needed assistance, Drama club with skits during some church services and we also visited a rural church on Sunday’s evenings to present the gospel via skits.
I also attended Evangelism Explosion (EE) that taught us how to present the gospel and then train individuals in presenting the Gospel.
I also attended a Wednesday class on how to know what your spiritual gift(s) are. I learned that I had three Gifts. My first one was Faith; my second one was being generous with my time and my third gift is being generous with my money.
I want to talk about my third gift of being generous with my money.
I have helped a seminary student with a college donation, with seniors auto repairs, donations to different charities, helping friends and family members over the years with money when they were running short themselves and while on various trips over the years helping stranded individuals with food or gas money. My parents taught me to believe in Christ Jesus, to love others and give a helping hand.
One of the things I continue to learn in my walk with God is that generosity is not just something He asks us to do—it is part of who He is. Everything we have ultimately comes from Him: grace, mercy, provision, love, and salvation. God is generous by nature, and He invites us to reflect that same spirit in the way we live and give.
For a long time, I thought generosity was mostly about money. But Scripture has shown me that it is really about the condition of the heart. In 2 Corinthians 9:7, Paul writes that God loves a cheerful giver. That verse reminds me that God is not interested in reluctant giving or giving motivated by guilt or pressure. He cares about the willingness behind it. True generosity flows from gratitude and trust.
I have also come to appreciate the wisdom found in Proverbs 11:24–25: “The world of the generous gets bigger and bigger… Generous persons will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” I do not believe this means we give in order to get something back. Rather, generosity changes us. It expands our hearts. It teaches us to trust God more deeply and to hold our possessions more loosely. There is a kind of joy and freedom that comes from living open-handedly.
Jesus also taught that generosity should not be performed for attention or recognition. In a world where people often publicize every good deed, His words challenge me to examine my motives. Am I giving to serve others and honor God, or am I hoping to be noticed? Genuine generosity is often quiet. It happens in unseen moments when we choose compassion, kindness, and sacrifice without expecting applause.
What encourages me most is that generosity is not reserved for the wealthy. In Luke 21, Jesus points to a poor widow who gave only a small offering, yet He honored her above everyone else because she gave with faith and sacrifice. That story reminds me that generosity is measured less by the amount we give and more by the love and trust behind it.
As I continue growing in this area, I try to practice a few simple habits. I want to put God first in my finances instead of giving Him whatever is left over. I want to stay aware of opportunities to help others, whether through encouragement, time, hospitality, or financial support. And I want to resist the fear that says there is never enough to share.
Every day, I am learning that generosity is not about losing something—it is about becoming more like God. The more generously we live, the more we reflect His heart to the world around us.
Embrace this gift, cultivate a generous heart, and watch how God uses your open hands to bless the world.
Patrick Brown was born at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, AZ on February 25th, 1949. He became a Christian Believer when he stepped off the plane in Vietnam in 1971. Since that time, he has devoted his life to the Lord through ministering as a Sunday School teacher in various churches in Mississippi. He is a graduate of Exploding Evangelism (EE) and certified as a Gospel Evangelist Trainer. Patrick is a member on staff at Christian Grandfather Magazine in charge of Daily Devotionals. He and his wife, Sherrilyn, enjoy retirement in Ridgeland, MS. They have two Daughters, five Grandsons and two Great Grandsons.
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